The taxi stopped outside the apartment building, and Ashlee rushed from the car, hurriedly paying the diver. Her excitement was beyond controllable, she was certain this time things would be different, she prayed with her whole existence she was right. She flew up the flight of stairs and stopped outside the door to his apartment. She knocked quickly and waited for an answer.
A sleepy eyed Jacob slowly pulled the door open, his body clothed in a pair of black boxers and a black tank top. He yawned as he saw her, but without a word she fell into his arms.
“Thank you” she smiled gracefully as he welcomed her inside
“For?” he yawned, scratching his head
“The flowers and for been by my bedside all the time, that must be why you’re so tired” she sighed, her mind imagining the nights he must have spent with her
“Uh” Jacob stuttered. He’d gotten a note a few days ago from some guy that she was in the hospital, a call from the police seconded that. But he’d never been up to see her, he was tired from the late night at the bar.
“Oh, right, no problem babe, you know I love you” he smiled weakly
“I do now” Ashlee announced with a large smile beaming on her face
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick didn’t stay long in New York, he was on a plane the day after speaking to Mrs. Baker. He thought it in best interest not to say anything to her, he just had a craving to understand the girl he’d never spoken to. Now he half understood why her eyes seemed to look so sad.
He arrived in Orlando, jet lagged and tired, but that didn’t stop him from catching the first taxi to the hospital. He walked in, grabbed yet another array of beautiful flowers from the florist and made his way up to her room. A path he’d travelled everyday since he first bought her in. he thought about ringing Amanda but shrugged it away, she didn’t need to know he was back yet, he’d go see her after the hospital visit. He stopped outside Ashlee’s door and pushed it open. His eyes scanned the figure in the bed in front of him. An older lady, heavy set with mad black hair that scrapped in all directions across the white pillowcase.
He stepped back and starred at the room number, but he wasn’t wrong, this had been her room.
“Can I help you?” the nurse questioned, walking behind him
He spun around and was recognized immediately.
“Nick? Looking for Ashlee?” she smiled
“Yeah, has she been moved?”
“She hasn’t contacted you?’
Nick starred blankly at her.
“She woke up night before last, eager beaver made the doctor sign the release papers yesterday, then she left”
“Oh” he sighed
“Told her you came all the time, her face lit up like a Christmas tree, thought that’s where she was heading”
“Well I’ve been away, out of town, so must have missed me” Nick muttered backing away
He knew the nurses would have said “her boyfriend” came to see her, simply because that was what he’d told him he was. He left the flowers on the nurses station, smiling, saying they could have them, then made his way back to the elevator.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
After seeing Jacob yesterday, Ashlee went home to sort some things out. Today she’d ventured into work, the tortuous world of been highly unappreciated, and there were many times she wished to kill one or all of her co-workers. The car pulled to a halt outside the Hospital, she was back for a checkup as the doctor instructed - though she felt fine.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick wandered aimlessly around the hospital. He’d never find her now, and it wasn’t exactly his right to find her. He’d never really pondered about when she would wake up, as to what would happen then, he just always supposed she’d be the frail looking beauty laying in front of him. he kicked his shoe across the ground as he turned a sharp corner off the pale white hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ashlee walked straight down the hall, she remembered exactly where she was heading, and continued on her way – without noticing the blond stranger turning from her path in the distance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick stepped into the elevator that opened as he approached, his back facing the passage where the girl he’d dreamt about for many nights wandered carelessly by.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Ashlee, isn’t it?” a friendly older nurse smiled
Ashlee nodded in recognition of the nurse that had told her about Jacob
“You two sure know how to miss each other” she smirked
“Excuse me?” Ashlee questioned, giving the nurse a confused glance
“You and you’re boyfriend, he was just here looking for you”
Ashlee thought for a moment in confusion, she’d never told Jacob she was coming up for a check up, and he wouldn’t have come to see her anyway.
“Jacob was here?” she muttered
“Jacob? Oh no dear, Nick” the nurse replied, giving Ashlee a strange look
“I don’t know anyone called Nick” Ashlee almost laughed
“Are you feeling okay? I mean that’s the boyfriend I was talking about before”
“I don’t have amnesia if that’s what you’re implying. I don’t know anyone called Nick, there’s only Jacob. Maybe you got his name wrong. He’s about 6 foot, brunette, stocky build with green eyes”
“No, this one was blond for sure, about 6 foot, but with blue eyes”
Ashlee rubbed her head softly.
“This one, the blond one, was the one that was always in my room?” she moaned
“That’s right”
“Not Jacob?”
“Never heard of any Jacob been up here, and especially not to see you. It was the blond one that bought all the flowers. In fact he’d be the one that bought you to the hospital after the accident, said straight out he was your boyfriend”
Ashlee’s eyes expanded. She always wondered what stranger had bought her to the hospital, she always wondered what had happened that day, she didn’t remember much, and now she’d found a person who could tell her.
“He was here?” she questioned in haste
“Only about 5 minutes ago”
“Which way did he go?”
“I believe the same way you came”
Ashlee thanked her quickly then darted down the hall, her head speeding in all directions looking for a person she’d never even met before.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick stood in front of his Durango, keys stiff in his hand. He turned around and looked up the hospital walls and sighed quietly.
“Maybe they’ll give me a phone number” he announced to himself as he shoved the keys back in his pocket and made his way back inside.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Oblivious to the girl running past, Nick stepped from the elevator and made his way back towards the nurses station, and where Ashlee’s room had been.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ashlee stopped as she turned another corner, this one would simply lead back to the other hall that she’d already looked in. He wasn’t here, he’d already gone. She sadly turned around and went back the way she came. Her head was stooped down, her eyes so low they didn’t see the stranger that she bumped into.
She looked up in surprise and apologized quickly.
“Ashlee?” Nick muttered in disbelief
“You must be Nick” she sighed softly